To hear this Morning Devotion, please click here — God’s sincere desire
Teens are often tempted to think parental rules are contrived to prevent fun and enforce opinions.
While that might be the case for some parents, the vast majority of parents I’ve known didn’t establish rules and principles in order to take joy away from their kids.
Instead, the rules and principles were in place to protect the kids — and sometimes even their families — from the consequences of poor choices.
I had more than one occasion as a parent when my kids thought I was overly strict and simply wanting to keep them from having fun.
I wasn’t always popular with Jessica and Melissa. But I was convinced that I was doing the proper thing for them.
I thank God that I made the right choices then.
For life has gone well for them since they left home and I believe that they will be good parents making good choices whenever God blesses them with teenaged children of their own.
This is how God wants it to be, of course.
Not just for our kids. He wants this for all His children.
He wants life to go well for everybody that wears His name.
That’s a true measure of a “daddy,” in my opinion.
A daddy is absolutely focused on wanting the best for his kids, he gives wise instruction on how to make good choices and he never gives up wanting those kids to make those choices that will help them to have a better life.
I’ve not accomplished my goals in certain respects of my life. And at some things, I’ve flat-out failed.
But, through God’s grace, I have enjoyed a measure of success at being a daddy.
I am profoundly grateful for the privilege of parenthood and the blessing of grown children who are sold-out Christians.
I share this today because of a brief passage in today’s reading from the One-Year Bible.
“Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29).
What stirred my spirit when I read this was not the “fear me” or “keep all my commands always.”
Those phrases are all over the Old Testament and so I expect to read those periodically during my devotional reading.
Instead, I was moved in my soul by the words, “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined…”
This was the cry of the Abba Father, not the presiding Judge.
This was not unlike the desire of a daddy who wants to see His child receive the good citizenship award on the school stage rather than to receive an expulsion notice from the principal’s office.
This is the cry of a daddy who wants to see his adult child evaluate how a prospective spouse interacts with God so that the likelihood of lifelong marital commitment and parenting success are much improved.
The fact is that children who grow up with hearts inclined toward fearing God and keeping His commands WILL have better lives for themselves and for their children in the things that really count such as loving relationships and Christian character.
Please, dear friend, incline your heart toward God and His Word. Life will be better for more people if you do.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
As always, I love you
Martin
